2016 Nissan Rogue SV new car reviews

Nissan's Rogue attempts to satisfy everyone's SUV needs while coming in at a low final price. That price isn't bad at all—this mid-level model starts at $26,590. For that money you get an inline-4 attached to a CVT transmission with all-wheel drive and lots of cargo space. Looks fine on paper, but how does it perform in real life?

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Marjorie SuddardGeneral Manager

The word “rogue” hasn’t been the same for me since Sarah Palin used it in the title of her book. Before “Going Rogue” came out, I did not know that the word was synonymous with dull ignorance that shoots, and fails, to make a statement. Now, however, after driving the Nissan Rogue, I am understanding that this is the new standard definition.

Don’t get me wrong: This small SUV did nothing overt to wrong me. It groaned from point A to point B on my commute, loudly informing that its CVT was doing its utmost to destroy any sensation of being connected to the road. The interior cocooned me in a smell that made it impossible to forget that only the cheapest, most synthetic substances were present. I have wracked my brain for words to describe the driving experience, but to be honest, I forgot that experience every time I exited the car. Sometimes sooner.

This is an appliance that probably will well serve most of its owners. But if that’s what our "rogues" have come to, it’s high time Errol Flynn swung in to deliver a refresher.

Ed HigginbothamUberDork

For all of its good and bad traits, this is an economically friendly SUV. You get lots of cargo space, five seats and 33 mpg on the highway for a little over $23,000.

But that lower price point also means you don't enjoy being swaddled in the luxury and size of a more expensive SUV. The road noise is loud, the howling engine reminds you constantly of the CVT just below your right hand, and while the interior and controls are rather nicely laid out, it is obviously created with lower grade materials.

Be that as it may, you get what you pay for, and this SUV touts good numbers on paper for those looking for a good bang for their buck.